State universities struggle with enrollment boom

ORLANDO -- At the University of Central Florida, the road to enlightenment is often gridlocked.

"Going across the street takes you 40 minutes," said engineering student Carlo Rivera, who lives at the Knight's Krossing residence hall complex next to UCF. "It's crazy."

An enrollment boom has the school on the verge shooting past the University of South Florida to be the state's second largest public college. As students flood the east Orange County campus, so do the challenges facing UCF President John Hitt.

Who will teach the 39,000 students, and where will they attend class, eat lunch, go to sleep? And what about the parking and traffic headaches created by their cars? Enrollment since 1989 is up more than 80 percent, but the construction of high-rise garages and wide roads hasn't kept pace.

While growth at Florida's 11 public universities is in a steady climb -- up 53 percent statewide since 1989 -- only Florida Atlantic has expanded its enrollment faster than UCF. Now, the schools are trying to reap the benefits of bigger student bodies while also maintaining control.